JASON PIERRE-PAUL VISITS SURGEON ABOUT GROIN INJURY…
According to multiple press reports, New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul visited a surgeon in Philadelphia on Tuesday regarding his groin injury. The New York Post is reporting that the team’s preliminary diagnosis is that Pierre-Paul did not suffer a sports hernia and his injury can be rehabbed and treated without surgery. The meeting with the surgeon hopefully will validate those initial findings. However, a couple of Pierre-Paul’s teammates did not think he would be able to play on Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys.

Owa Odighizuwa on JPP: "I don’t know exactly what the issue is but obviously he’s not going to be in the game this week.''

GIANTS ADD DEFENSIVE END TO PRACTICE SQUAD…
The New York Giants have signed defensive end Jordan Williams to the Practice Squad. Williams was originally signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2015 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Jets (2015) and Miami Dolphins (2015-2016).

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

NOVEMBER 30, 2016 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
The New York Giants held a jog-thru practice on Wednesday. Safety Nat Berhe (concussion), linebacker Mark Herzlich (concussion), and defensive end Owa Odighizuwa (knee) did not participate.

“I think it depends how I come in tomorrow,” Pugh said. “I feel like tomorrow, if I can do more at practice, we’ll see how it goes from there. My goal is just to feel good every day, and keep building off that. And I think we’re heading in the right direction. I’m going to be back sooner or later.”

Although he currently remains on Injured Reserve, running back Shane Vereen returned to practice on Wednesday. Vereen was placed on IR in late September after suffering a triceps injury that required surgery. The Giants now have 21 days to activate Vereen to the 53-man roster, or his season will end on Injured Reserve.

“It was good to get him back out here in the mix with the team,” said Head Coach Ben McAdoo. “He caught some balls…When (the medical staff) deem him ready, we’ll take a look at bringing him back.”

“Physically, I feel good. If it was just up to how I felt like, then I would have been back, but there is a lot that goes into it and we have to be smart,” said Vereen.

GIANTS SIGN SAFETY TO THE PRACTICE SQUAD…
The New York Giants have signed safety Christian Bryant to the Practice Squad. Bryant was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams. The Rams waived him in September 2016. He then spent time on both the Practice Squad and active roster of the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals waived him on Monday. Bryant has played in 11 regular-season games with no starts. Bryant lacks ideal size and speed, but he a good athlete and an aggressive player with fine intangibles.

JASON PIERRE-PAUL NAMED “NFC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK”…
New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul has been named “NFC Defensive Player of the Week” for his performance against the Cleveland Browns last Sunday. In that game, Pierre-Paul was credited with seven tackles, three sacks, three QB hits, three tackles for losses, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery that he returned for a 43-yard touchdown.

This is the third time this year a New York Giants defensive player has won the award. Safety Landon Collins earned it twice earlier this season. This is Pierre-Paul’s fourth “NFC Defensive Player of the Week” award in his career. Only linebacker Lawrence Taylor (9) and defensive end Michael Strahan (5) have more in team history.

HEAD COACH BEN MCADOO…
The transcript of Ben McAdoo’s press conference on Wednesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

NEW YORK GIANTS 27 – CLEVELAND BROWNS 13…
The New York Giants won their sixth game in a row on Sunday by defeating the winless Cleveland Browns 27-13 at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland. With the victory, the Giants improved their overall record to 8-3, two games behind the first-place Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East.

In a game that was close until the 4th quarter, the Browns out-gained the Giants in first downs (21 to 13), total net yards (343 to 296), net yards passing (285 to 192), and time of possession (33:51 to 26:09). But the Giants out-rushed the Browns (104 to 58) won the turnover battle (3 to 1), and scored on defense. And while Cleveland was 1-of-3 (33 percent) in red zone opportunities, the Giants were a perfect 2-of-2 (100 percent). The Giants did commit nine penalties for 100 yards.

Both teams struggled offensively for much of the first half as the score remained 0-0 until midway through the 2nd quarter. The Giants first four possessions resulted in five first downs, 65 net yards, and four punts. Meanwhile, the Browns first four possessions resulted in three first downs, 58 net yards, three punts, and a fumble. Defensive tackle Damon Harrison forced running back Isaiah Crowell to fumble, and the loose ball was recovered by linebacker Devon Kennard at the Browns 31-yard line. After an 18-yard pass from quarterback Eli Manning to wide receiver Roger Lewis, Manning then found wide receiver Dwayne Harris for a 13-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

The Giants defense forced a three-and-out on the ensuing Browns possession but Cleveland got the ball right back when running back Bobby Rainey muffed the punt, giving the Browns the ball at the New York 30-yard line. Despite allowing Cleveland to convert on 4th-and-1 and to drive to the 2-yard line, the defense held and the Browns were forced to settle for a 20-yard field goal.

The Giants extended their lead to 14-3 late in the 2nd quarter as New York drove 69 yards in four plays and just 30 seconds. While two passing plays resulted in incompletions, Manning found wide receivers Victor Cruz for 37 yards and Odell Beckham for 32 yards and the score on the other two plays. However, with 1:13 to go before halftime, the Browns responded with an 8-play, 68 yard drive to set up a 25-yard field goal as time expired. At the half, the Giants led 14-6.

Like the start of the game, both teams struggled offensive at the start of the second half. New York’s first four possessions resulted in one first down, 32 net yards, and four punts. (Beckham had a 59-yard punt return for a touchdown erased by a holding penalty on linebacker Mark Herzlich). Cleveland’s first five possessions resulted in four first downs, 89 net yards, four punts, and a fumble. With just over 11 minutes to go in the game, defensive tackle Jonathan Hankins sacked quarterback Josh McCown, forcing a fumble that was returned 43 yards for a touchdown by defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. Place kicker Robbie Gould missed the extra point attempt and the Giants led 20-6.

Cleveland quickly tightened the game again by driving 75 yards in five plays. McCown found wide receiver Corey Coleman for a 21-yard touchdown to cut the score to 20-13 with 8:17 left to play.

The Giants pulled away on their ensuing possession. A 41-yard pass from Manning to Beckham followed by a 22-yard gain on an end-around by wideout Sterling Shepard moved the ball to the Browns 6-yard line. Three plays later, Manning hit Beckham on 3rd-and-goal for a 4-yard touchdown.

The final two Browns drives ended with a turnover on downs at the Giants 40-yard line and a fumble forced by Pierre-Paul on a sack. Defensive end Kerry Wynn recovered the fumble to seal the game.

Offensively, Manning completed 15-of-27 passes for 194 yards, 3 touchdowns, and no interceptions. Odell Beckham was the only player to catch more than two passes, as he had six receptions for 96 yards and two touchdowns. Rashad Jennings rushed for 55 yards on 15 carries and Paul Perkins rushed for 29 yards on nine carries.

Defensively, the Giants accrued seven sacks, 11 quarterback hits, eight tackles for losses, five pass defenses, three forced fumbles, and three fumble recoveries. Damon Harrison led the team with nine tackles, and also forced a fumble. Jason Pierre-Paul had seven tackles, three sacks, three tackles for losses, a forced fumble, and a fumble returned for a touchdown. Defensive end Olivier Vernon was credited with four tackles, 1.5 sacks, five quarterback hits, and two tackles for losses. Johnathan Hankins had three tackles, 1.5 sacks, two quarterback hits, and forced one fumble. Cornerback Janoris Jenkins had five tackles, one sack, two tackles for losses, and two pass defenses. Devon Kennard and Kerry Wynn recovered fumbles.

Safety Nat Berhe and linebacker Mark Herzlich both suffered concussions in the game. This is the second time Berhe has suffered a concussion this year. Wide receiver Odell Beckham (thumb), defensive end Owamagbe Odighizuwa (knee), and cornerback Janoris Jenkins (unknown) all left the game with injuries but returned. Cornerback Eli Apple suffered from cramps.

POST-GAME REACTION…
Video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Ben McAdoo and the following players are available at Giants.com:

NOVEMBER 25, 2016 NEW YORK GIANTS INJURY REPORT…
Offensive guard Justin Pugh (knee), offensive lineman Brett Jones (calf), and offensive lineman Marshall Newhouse (knee) have all been officially ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

“(Pugh) had a slight setback,” said Head Coach Ben McAdoo. “He got sore. He had a little setback and we’ll wait to see where he is next week.”

NEW YORK GIANTS 22 – CHICAGO BEARS 16…
The New York Giants defeated the Chicago Bears 22-16 on Sunday afternoon at a windy MetLife Stadium. With the win, the Giants improved their overall record to 7-3.

The Giants slightly out-gained the Bears in first downs (19 to 17), total net yards (329 to 315), net yards rushing (102 to 93), and net yards passing (227 to 222). Chicago was 4-of-12 (33 percent) on 3rd down while New York was 5-of-14 (36 percent) on 3rd down and 2-for-2 (100 percent) on 4th down. The Bears turned the ball over once while the Giants did not turn the ball over at all.

The Bears had four possessions in the first half and scored on their first three: a 9-play, 76-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown (extra point missed); a 7-play, 39-yard drive that resulted in a 40-yard field goal; and an 8-play, 79-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown. Bears quarterback Jay Cutler was 11-of-14 for 126 yards and a touchdown in the first half with tight end Zach Miller catching three passes for 61 yards and a 19-yard score. The Giants defense also had trouble stopping running back Jordan Howard as he rushed for 72 yards on 12 carries in the first half.

Meanwhile, the Giants only had three possessions in the first half, scoring on two of them. New York drove 78 yards in 11 plays on their first drive. The Giants went for it on 4th-and-2 from the Chicago 17-yard line as quarterback Eli Manning hit wide receiver Sterling Shepard for 15 yards down to the 2-yard line. On the next snap, running back Rashad Jennings scored. The extra point was missed by ex-Bears kicker Robbie Gould. New York went three-and-out on their second possession. Then on their third and final possession before the break, the Giants drove 57 yards in 14 plays to set up a successful 46-yard field goal by Gould. This drive also included a successful 4th-down conversion as Jennings caught a 5-yard pass on 4th-and-2 at the Bears 33-yard line. Manning was 11-of-18 for 100 yards in the first half with Jennings both the leading rusher (seven carries for 34 yards) and receiver (five catches for 44 yards).

Chicago led 16-9 at halftime.

The Giants defense shut out the Bears in the second half. Five of Chicago’s second-half possessions resulted in three-and-outs. Their third possession after the break gained 47 yards in nine plays but ended with a missed 51-yard field goal early in the 4th quarter.

The Giants offense scored touchdowns on their first two possessions of the second half. First, aided by a 46-yard kickoff return by Dwayne Harris, the Giants drove 56 yards in nine plays to tie the game at 16-16 on Manning’s 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end Will Tye. Then New York drove 79 yards in seven plays to go up 22-16 midway through the 3rd quarter. The big play on this drive was a 48-yard pass from Manning to wide receiver Victor Cruz. Three plays later, on 3rd-and-4, Manning hit Shepard for a 15-yard touchdown. Gould missed what could have been a very costly extra point, his second miss of the game.

Holding a 6-point lead, the Giants offense struggled for the remainder of the game as their next five drives resulted in only two first downs and five punts. Fortunately, the Bears were even more inept. Starting on their own 22-yard line, Chicago got the ball one last time at the 3-minute mark. The Bears gained 35 yards on their first play to the Giants 43-yard line. Then on 2nd-and-20, Chicago gained 23 yards to the Giants 30-yard line. But defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul sacked Cutler and a penalty pushed the Bears back into a 2nd-and-29 from the New York 49-yard line. On the next snap, safety Landon Collins saved the win with an interception at the Giants 21-yard line.

Offensively, Eli Manning finished 21-of-36 for 227 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions. His leading receivers were Sterling Shepard (5 catches for 50 yards and a touchdown), wide receiver Odell Beckham (5 catches for 46 yards), and Rashad Jennings (5 catches for 44 yards). Jennings finished the game with 85 yards rushing and a touchdown on 21 carries. The Giants did not allow a sack and did not turn the ball over.

POST-GAME NOTES…
The Giants won their fifth consecutive game, their longest winning streak since they won five in a row in 2010.

The Giants improved to 7-3 and have exceeded their victory total from each of the previous two seasons (when they were 6-10) – with six games remaining.

This is the Giants best 10-game start since they were 9-1 in 2008.

The Giants seven victories have been by a total of 27 points.

The Giants improved to 5-1 in MetLife Stadium, their highest total at home since they were 6-2 in 2012.

With the victory, the Giants concluded a 3-0 homestand. This is the first time the Giants won three games at home in consecutive weeks 1962.

The Giants did not commit a turnover, ending their NFL-long streak of 18 consecutive games with at least one giveaway.

Safety Landon Collins has intercepted at least one pass in four consecutive games, the first Giants player to do that since cornerback Phillippi Sparks also had a four-game streak in 1995.

ROSTER MOVES…
On Saturday, the New York Giants signed center Shane McDermott to the 53-man roster from the Practice Squad. To make room for McDermott, the team waived linebacker Deontae Skinner. The Giants also signed quarterback Logan Thomas to the Practice Squad.

McDermott was signed to the Giants Practice Squad on Thursday. He also spent time on the team’s Practice Squad in September. McDermott originally signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2015 NFL Draft, but the Cowboys cut him in September that year. After a brief stint on the Panthers Practice Squad, the Giants signed McDermott to the Practice Squad in November 2015. McDermott is a blue-collar, overachiever who lacks ideal athleticism and strength.

Skinner was signed to the Practice Squad in September and October 2016 and then to the 53-man roster in October 2016. Skinner was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New England Patriots after the 2014 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Patriots (2014-2015) and Eagles (2015-2016), the latter waiving him in August.

Thomas has been added to and released from the Practice Squad multiple times in 2016. Thomas was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. The Dolphins claimed Thomas off of waivers from the Cardinals in September 2015 and the Giants claimed him off of waivers from the Dolphins in June 2016. Thomas has only played in two NFL games, completing one pass in nine attempts for an 81-yard touchdown. Thomas is a huge, athletic quarterback with a quick release and strong arm. He has been an inconsistent performer with decision-making and accuracy issues.

“The injury is doing well,” Cruz said. “I practiced today and everything feels good. I was running around, making some plays, so everything is feeling good… Sunday at one o’clock, I plan to be out there helping my team win.”

PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES…
The New York Giants have signed offensive center/guard Shane McDermott to the Practice Squad. To make room for McDermott, the team terminated the Practice Squad contract of wide receiver Da’Ron Brown.

McDermott was originally signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2015 NFL Draft, but the Cowboys cut him in September that year. After a brief stint on the Panthers Practice Squad, the Giants signed McDermott to the Practice Squad in November 2015. He also spent time on the Giants Practice Squad again in September 2016. McDermott is a blue-collar, overachiever who lacks ideal athleticism and strength.

Brown was signed to the Giants Practice Squad last week. He was originally drafted in the 7th round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He has spent time on the Practice Squads of the Chiefs (2015) and New England Patriots (2016).

THE COACHES SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following coaches are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

NEW YORK GIANTS 21 – CINCINNATI BENGALS 20…
The New York Giants defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 21-20 on Monday night at MetLife Stadium. With the victory, the Giants improved their overall record to 6-3.

The Giants out-gained the Bengals in first downs (23 to 12), total offensive plays (72 to 55), total net yards (351 to 264), net yards rushing (122 to 78), and net yards passing (229 to 186). The Bengals were held to 2-of-11 (18 percent) on 3rd down conversion attempts.

Both teams scored touchdowns on their opening drives. The Giants first drove 80 yards in eight plays. Quarterback Eli Manning started this possession off with a 25-yard pass to tight end Will Tye and finished it with a 10-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jerell Adams. But the Bengals quickly tied the game in three plays, with the biggest being a 71-yard pass from quarterback Andy Dalton to tight end Tyler Eifert. Dalton finished the possession off with a 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver A.J. Green. The game was tied at 7-7.

The next four Giants possessions ended with two punts, a turnover on downs, and an interception. The Bengals punted three times in a row before Manning’s interception. The turnover set up Cincinnati at the Giants 7-yard line. The defense held and forced a 25-yard field goal. New York’s offense then responded with an 8-play, 75-yard drive that culminated with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Manning to wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. to give the Giants a 14-10 lead at the half.

The Bengals returned the opening kickoff of the 3rd quarter 84 yards to the Giants 13-yard line. Two plays later, running back Jeremy Hill scored from nine yards out as the Bengals regained the lead 17-14. After a three-and-out by the Giants offense, Cincinnati added to their advantage by putting together a 7-play, 41-yard drive that set up a successful 38-yard field goal. The Bengals now led 20-14.

Both teams exchanged punts on their next two possessions. Late in the 3rd quarter and early in the 4th quarter, the Giants put together their game-winning drive after forcing the Bengals to punt from deep in their own territory. Starting on the Cincinnati 47-yard line, the Giants drove to the Bengals 3-yard line where they faced 4th-and-goal. Head Coach Ben McAdoo decided to go for it and was rewarded when Manning found wide receiver Sterling Shepard for the score. Giants 21 – Bengals 20.

Both teams then exchanged interceptions. First, safety Landon Collins picked off Dalton. Then Manning gave the ball right back to the Bengals on the very next play. But New York’s defense forced a three-and-out. Both teams exchanged punts before the Giants ran out the final three minutes of the game.

Offensively, Manning finished the game 28-of-44 for 240 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. His leading receivers were Beckham (10 catches for 97 yards and a touchdown), Tye (5 catches for 53 yards), and Shepard (5 catches for 42 yards and a touchdown). Running back Rashad Jennings rushed for 87 yards on 15 carries and running back Paul Perkins chipped in with 31 yards on nine carries.

Defensively, defensive end Olivier Vernon led the team with 10 tackles, 1 sack, and 2 tackles for losses. Defensive tackle Robert Thomas had one sack and defensive tackle Damon Harrison and linebacker Jonathan Casillas had half-sacks. Collins had the Giants lone turnover with his interception.

Left guard Brett Jones strained his calf in the 1st quarter and did not return. He was replaced by Marshall Newhouse. Wide receiver/returner Dwayne Harris left the game with a toe injury and did not play in the second half.

POST-GAME REACTION…
Transcripts and video clips of post-game media sessions with Head Coach Ben McAdoo and the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

POST-GAME NOTES…
QB Eli Manning was credited with his 33rd fourth-quarter, game-winning drive (leading the Giants to victories in games in which they trailed or were tied in the fourth quarter).

WR Odell Beckham set the NFL record for the fewest number of games (36) to reach 3,500 receiving yards.

S Landon Collins has four interceptions in his last three games.

TOM COUGHLIN, ERNIE ACCORSI, JUSTIN TUCK INDUCTED INTO RING OF HONOR…
Former New York Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin (2004-2015), General Manager Ernie Accorsi (1998-2007), and defensive end Justin Tuck (2005-2013) were officially inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor at halftime during Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. A video of the ceremony is available at Giants.com.

“(I was) probably like 65 (percent against the Los Angeles Rams), to be honest,” Beckham said. “It was pretty close to a game time decision. They were like, ‘We have eight minutes to turn it (the inactive list) in.’ I was warming up. I think I slipped on the second or third route. I didn’t know if I was going to make it through the game. Thankfully, I did. We got a bye week that came at the right time. Had some time to recover and get worked on pretty much all break. I’m just about 85 (percent). Almost back to normal, so to say.”

When asked about Berhe, Head Coach Ben McAdoo said, “He is able to practice, but no contact.”

PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES…
The New York Giants have signed running back George Winn to the Practice Squad and terminated the Practice Squad contract of quarterback Logan Thomas.

Winn was originally signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted rookie free agent after the 2013 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Texans (2013), New England Patriots (2013), Oakland Raiders (2013), Pittsburgh Steelers (2013), Dallas Cowboys (2013), and Detroit Lions (2014–2016). He’s played in 19 regular-season games with no starts, accruing just 74 yards on 23 carries (3.2 yards per carry). Winn is a hard-nosed, between-the-tackles runner. Good special teams player.

Thomas was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. The Dolphins claimed Thomas off of waivers from the Cardinals in September 2015 and the Giants claimed him off of waivers from the Dolphins in June 2016. Thomas has only played in two NFL games, completing one pass in nine attempts for an 81-yard touchdown.

HEAD COACH BEN MCADOO…
The transcript of Ben McAdoo’s press conference on Wednesday is available in The Corner Forum while the video is available at Giants.com.

THE PLAYERS SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following players are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

“Taking it each day, trying to be a little cautious,” Apple said. “Of course you hear it all the time, guys come back too fast and they tweak (the hamstring) even more. That is how it gets worse. The tweak is probably worse than the initial injury. So you don’t want to do that. You want to be prepared, do everything they tell you to do in the training room and take it day by day, cautious.”

“(Vernon) is battling with that hand,” Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said. “I don’t think people realize that it is affecting him as much as it is and he battles with it all week and then goes out there and plays.”

Defensive tackle Robert Thomas (illness) fully practiced.

PRACTICE SQUAD MOVES…
The New York Giants have once again re-signed linebacker Deontae Skinner to the Practice Squad and terminated the Practice Squad contract of quarterback Logan Thomas.

Skinner was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the New England Patriots after the 2014 NFL Draft. He has spent time with the Patriots (2014-2015) and Eagles (2015-2016), the latter waiving him on August 22.

Thomas was originally drafted in the 4th round of the 2014 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals. The Dolphins claimed Thomas off of waivers from the Cardinals in September 2015 and the Giants claimed him off of waivers from the Dolphins in June 2016.

THE COACHES SPEAK…
Transcripts and video clips of the media sessions with the following coaches are available in The Corner Forum and at Giants.com:

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